Council agrees motion on community benefit for offshore wind developments

Council agrees motion on community benefit for offshore wind developments

Highland Council agreed the following motion to council today:

“The Highland Council asks the Scottish Government to help Highland and other Local Authorities to set a recommended level of community benefit for Offshore Wind Developments.

In addition, because of the anticipated rental income for Crown Estates of £56m from the Beatrice Offshore Wind Development, we ask for rapid progress to be made to agree a position on the devolution of Crown Estate Incomes to Scotland and beyond to Local Authority level”.

The motion was put forward by Leader of the Council Mrs M Davidson and Provost of Inverness Mrs H Carmichael

The council also agreed that due to the uncertainty over the retention of the HIE board a meeting would be held between the Council Leader and Keith Brown, Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, Jobs and Fair Work, to seek clarification. A paper will also be taken to the Planning Development and Infrastructure Committee next Wednesday setting out the council’s initial response to the review.